Bellamy targets title win with Liverpool

CRAIG BELLAMY completed his dream move to Liverpool yesterday and set his sights on winning the Premiership title.

The 26-year-old Wales international signed a four-year deal with the club he supported as a boy to end his brief spell at Blackburn, who are believed to have accepted a fee of around £6m.

Bellamy, who started his career at Norwich but made his name in a turbulent spell at Newcastle after a £6m switch from Coventry during the summer of 2001, immediately targeted the biggest prize in English football.

He said: “Being a Liverpool supporter myself, at the start of every season it’s the league title that you’re looking to win. Being top of this league is something that Liverpool grew used to in the 70s and 80s, but it hasn’t happened for a while, and that has to change.

“Even from the outside looking in, you could tell that things were heading in the right direction under Mr Benitez, and if we can improve on what we did last year and move two steps on, hopefully we can win the title.”

Liverpool ended the last campaign in third place and added the FA Cup to their Champions League qualifying berth. However, Benitez decided to shake-up his attacking resources, dispensing with Fernando Morientes and bringing in Bellamy to battle with Peter Crouch and Robbie Fowler for a place in the starting line-up.

The Cardiff-born player held talks and underwent a medical on Wednesday after breaking his holiday in Greece with his new wife and two sons to fly to Merseyside, and the deal was concluded yesterday afternoon.

Bellamy said: “Just to get the transfer completed today was an unbelievable moment for me. I just got married last month and that was obviously one of the highlights of my life, but this is on par with that – I know the missus might not be happy with me saying that, but it’s true!

“It’s a dream come true to sign for the club I supported as a boy and to actually play for Liverpool will be an enormous honour.”

Bellamy admitted it took him little time to make up his mind after hearing what Benitez had to say.

He said: “As a fan, he’s impressed me ever since he arrived at Anfield.”

Bellamy’s relationships with managers have not always been as cordial, and his feud with Graeme Souness cost him his career at St James’ Park. However, there are many on Tyneside who would have welcomed him back with open arms following the departure of Souness, and it is ironic that his big move came less than 48 hours after Michael Owen’s injury woes dealt the Magpies another huge blow.

But the Welshman resurrected his career, first on loan at Celtic and then at Blackburn, where he scored 17 goals last season and helped Rovers to an excellent sixth-place finish.